Compare towns
Bethel vs Windsor vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most homeowners (83.6%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (17.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bethel | Windsor | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Lowest |
3,554 |
3,778Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
44.8±6.5Lowest 4% above VT |
47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
| Bethel and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
| Bethel and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41k 25% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,275±$181 3% above VT |
| Bethel and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Lowest about the VT average |
$5,209 3% above VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
71.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
23 minLowest 3% below VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #61 of 70 in VT | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.